A frequently updated blog focuses on news and feature stories of the state of Sikkim.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Sikkim Postal History: Those early years - iii

For a stamp sized state of Sikkim, 6th November
2006 hold a moment of glory and recognisation in terms of world philately.
Indian Postage had featured a postal stamp on Changu Lake in a group of five lakes
from different part of India. The Changu Lake stamp with Rs 5 denomination
features among the five Himalayan Lakes of India that include Roop Kund, Sela,
Tsomo Riri and Chandra Tal. The stamp and First Day Cover had been designed by
Bharati Mirchandani and Cancellation designed by Alka Sharma. The stamp is
printed in photogravure process and printed at India Security Press, Nasik. It
was for the first time in the history of Indian Postage, an individual theme
from Sikkim got introduced in Indian postage stamp. For the last few years
efforts were made on to feature individual theme from Sikkim. Along the lines
various tourist destinations including Rumtek Monastery, Changu (Tsangu) Lake,
Guru Dongmor Lake, Nathula Pass and cultural diversity of Sikkim were discussed
but it was the more popular Changu (Tsangu) Lake that made the
history. Truly no doubt Changu Lake has been one of the major tourist
attractions over the years and its incomparable scenic beauty reflects the
charisma of the small state of Sikkim.

More than thirty years since the state
of Sikkim joined the Indian Union, Sikkim has been struggling for its presence
in Indian postal stamps. Apart from four Mt Kanchenjunga stamps on three
separate occasions (1955, 1978 and 1988), Red Panda (1955), Blood Pheasant
(1963), and Flora and Fauna of North East India (2006), a single illustration
of Yumthang valley in 1982 Himalayan Flowers First Day Cover and handful of Sikkim
Special Covers, it was a long wait for Sikkim Philately to rejoice.

Despite the fact that Sikkim first
made its presence felt in the world of philately way back in 1935 when in this
small Himalayan Kingdom a unique postal experiment was conducted by a man named
Stephen Hector Smith. The postal experiment got popular with the name Sikkim
Rocketmail Experiment 1935.

Although few people know or remember
that Sikkim was home to a unique experiment in mail delivery. In fact Sikkim
was one of the very few countries ever in the world during the reign of the
Chogyal, the Sikkim king, to perform this ambitious achievement. The parcels
along with letters and other items were sent from the rockets to the confined
destinations. Rocket mail was being sent across the rivers. In fact, there are
many covers sent successfully that actually has signature of the late Sir Tashi
Namgyal, the Chogyal. In the book “From the diary of Stephen Smith” written by
Stephen Smith relating to rockets mail experiments, it has been mentioned that
the Sikkim experiment was the most successful among all the pioneering efforts
in rocket mailing the world over. The five places where the experiments
were conducted were Gangtok, Sarumsa, Ray, Singtam and Rangpo.

Stephen Hector Smith, a pioneer in
Indian Rocketmail history chooses Sikkim for his experiment because of its
geographical features and mountains. Sikkim is also the first country in
the world to successfully dispatch by means of a rocket, a parcel containing
small quantities of such useful articles as medicine, tobacco, tea, sugar,
etc. Those people who helped Sikkim Rocket experiment succeed included
Chogyal Tashi Namgyal, CE Dudley, General Secretary to the Chogyal, Tashi Dadul
Densapa, Private Secretary, Rai Sahib Faqir Chand Jali, the state engineer and
F Williamson, British Political Officer.

This note on history of Philately in Sikkim
shall not be completed without the mentioning of the Revenue Stamps of Sikkim
that has been continuing prior to 1917. The oldest found cancellation on Sikkim
Revenue Stamp dates back to 8th October 1928 dispatched from
Mangan B.O to Gangtok. The central design of the stamp has the south-east face
of Mt. Siniolchu, in the north of Gangtok. The Photograph was taken by Hoffmann
in the illustration of Claude White’s book “Sikkim and Bhutan”.

Text Widget

When i started my blog on Sikkim way back in 2007, i had it clear on my mind that this blog shall help people look out for knowledge on Sikkim. I always wanted a knowledge house about Sikkim, its past, present and future. I do not know over the years how much did i succeed but my determination to let other understand my Sikkim is always giving me a push.
with regards
Shital Pradhan
(himalayanreview@gmail.com)